More alive when dead
by Republic-of-Yolossia
Summary: Jan is a paid killer, only caring about ridding the world of evil, and earning money. Sent to the northern kingdom to sort out a vampire problem, he prepares for a task like every other. But this mission may prove to be his last, and if so, is it necessarily a bad thing? Netherlands/Romania, au, t for blood and character death
1. The meeting

_Jan- Netherlands_

_Erikur- Iceland_

_Alin- Romania_

…

The sun was beginning to set now, its still-bright light casting an orange glow about the tiny wooden hut, rays bouncing playfully off the fresh snow outside. Trees in the distance bordered the view from the window, unmoving and silent, and beyond that, rolling hills covered in a deep forest.

Jan glanced between the two men in front of him, taking in their features. He was already acquainted with Ivan, the taller of the two, and a large intimidating man, as it was he who summoned him here. He was taller than Jan even, with pale hair, a large nose and a bright, fake, smile. Lilac eyes stared at him in interest; Jan noted that abnormal colour, and remembered how even his own blueish-green eyes are considered rare, especially here in the settlements of the far north. The shorter, young Erikur, also had pale hair, almost white, to be precise, and lilac eyes too. Now that Jan thought of it, most people in this far-northern village had purple eyes, and that made him feel uneasy. Over the years, he'd come to realise that anything abnormal was not to be trusted, as it usually signalled something sinister, something non-human.

But, as these people were paying him handsomely for his skills, Jan decided to ignore it.

'You have work for me?' he stated finally.

'Yes of course,' Ivan nodded slowly, still smiling, 'we heard you're the one to talk to about a… vampire problem.'

'That is correct,' Jan replied, 'though I am also trained to exterminate demons, werewolves and other monsters, if you need it.'

'Well, it's just the vampire we need killing,' Erikur raised a hand.

'One?' Jan raised an eyebrow, 'they rarely travel alone.'

'A whole clan,' corrected Ivan, 'they've been attacking and killing villagers for months now, picking off anyone caught alone at night, and even sneaking into homes. My own sisters were taken, Erikur's brother too. I hope you understand why we sent for you.'

'Revenge,' Jan was not one for sympathy or sob-stories; he'd heard plenty over the years. Maybe burning and stabbing and shooting his way through life in return for gold had desensitized him, but he no longer cared who had died and why, or what they were like or who they were related to. Of course, he cared when the monsters died, and not just for the reward, but because Jan knew they were evil. He had been told it was his duty to rid the world of vampire and demon plagues, so he did. It also meant he could kill and still expect a place in heaven; vampires weren't human, after all, so killing them wasn't a sin. In fact, they way they slaughtered and feasted on humans meant it would be sinful_ not_ to kill them, at least, to Jan anyway.

'Exactly,' Ivan frowned, 'my sisters were dear to me and now I'm alone. The people of this village have suffered enough, which is why we need you.'

'How much?' Jan refused to agree to anything unless he heard the right figures.

'Fifty gold coins,' Erikur told him, 'take it or leave it. But you're getting nothing until we have that monster's head on this table.' He wrapped his knuckles on the old, wooden table between them, as if to prove his point.

'Understood,' Jan frowned, 'but you said _'monster'_. I thought I was after a family group.'

'You are,' Erikur paused for a moment, 'but we are unsure of the exact number. We are, however, familiar with one, named Radacanu, who does the actual butchering. Though we will pay extra for any other monsters you slay, it's Radacanu we want. His death might serve as a lesson to the others. This is not a town to be messed with!'

'I see,' Jan scratched his chin, 'so do I have a visual? What am I dealing with here? Any information you have could be vital.'

'Red eyes,' began Ivan.

'Just like every other vampire,' Jan commented dryly.

'He's hard to describe,' Erikur chose his words carefully, 'no one has seen him clearly. But, you'll know who he is when you see him.'

'That's not very helpful,' Jan tried to not let his irritation get the better of him.

'I know,' Ivan grinned apologetically, 'that's why we brought a guide along to help you. Alin knows all the routes in the woods surrounding our village and can help you track Radacanu down, whether you want to confront him and his clan in their lair, or set up a trap.'

'And where is this guide?' Jan raised an eyebrow.

'Running late,' Ivan admitted, 'but he should be here any moment now.'

As if on cue, there was a faint knocking at the door and Jan felt torn between annoyance and curiosity. Why didn't anyone here have a shred of professionalism between them? People's lives were at risk and here was this Alin person turning up late; Jan hoped it wasn't a regular occurrence. As Ivan moved to open the door- strange, Jan was sure it was unlocked, why was he knocking?- the young man found himself wondering what his new assistant would be like, not that it really mattered. Over the years, few of his guides, assistants and companions lived very long, not when they were up against such evil. Nowadays, Jan never bothered to form any sort of bond with escorts or locals.

However, when Alin entered, Jan's indifference turned to annoyance.

Alin was small, slight and appeared to be a bit on the scrawny side, making Jan doubt he would last for long on this mission. At least, that's what Jan could make out through his thick brown tunic and cloak. Long, light brown hair covered his ears and forehead and he smiled brightly up at him, mouth half obscured by a thick scarf. But what caught Jan's attention most was the blindfold around his eyes.

'So I have no information on my target and a blind guide?' Jan glared at Erikur and Ivan.

'Alin is the best,' Erikur replied calmly.

'I second that,' Alin butted in, 'sorry it took so long but,' he held up a wooden stick in front of him, 'not the fastest person here.' The thick scarf around him slipped slightly, revealing the top of his mouth and Alin hastily fumbled for it, pulling it up. Jan guessed he wasn't as used to the cold, northern regions, judging by how different he looked compared to the other villagers. He wasn't pale or light-haired and Jan wondered how this stranger was supposed to be the expert on the area. Still, it was not his place to question that. The blindfold, on the other hand, led Jan to doubt this man's navigational skills.

'How exactly is a man who cannot even see his own hands going to lead me to the vampire?' he questioned, 'your pathways are hazardous in the village itself, let alone in the forest.'

'Don't underestimate me,' growled Alin, 'I am perfectly capable of looking after myself.'

'Just trust him,' Ivan gave a small smile.

'I don't _trust_ people, I _tolerate_ them,' corrected Jan, 'but fine, what do you think is the best course of action, _Alin_?'

'Attack at night or you'll never find them,' Alin began, 'try the old castle a mile or so from here; that's where they're probably hiding, though no one's dared to check so far. Can you really blame them? You got weapons?' Alin tilted his head slightly.

'Of course,'

'Good ones?'

'What else?'

'You seem interesting,' Alin grinned through his scarf, 'can I touch your face?'

'No,' Jan replied flatly.

'But how will I know what you look like?' pressed Alin.

'That's not your business,'

'Fine,' Alin tsk-ed, but left it at that, 'so make your preparations then. I'm sure you've been provided with adequate housing,' Alin turned his head towards Erikur and Ivan's general direction, 'right?'

'Don't get too big for your boots,' Ivan warned, 'remember you're still a stranger to us, and a poor one at that.'

'I've not forgotten,' Alin sighed, 'but you cannot doubt my expertise.'

'We don't. Still, stay out of things that do not concern you,' Erikur told him.

'I will.'

'We'll be leaving tomorrow,' Jan informed him, 'make sure you're ready at dawn.'

'Dawn?' spluttered Alin, 'why? Everyone knows vampires won't come out in the daytime, so there's no point in starting early. Sunset is fine.'

'I'm the expert here,' Jan growled.

'But I'm the one who knows about the area,' Alin pointed out.

'How? You can't see!'

'Why would that stop me?' Alin shrugged, 'I'm actually quite wise, if anyone let me show that. I say we leave at sunset, maybe late afternoon if you insist on an early start.'

'I have no say in the matter, do I?' Jan groaned.

'Hey, you're the boss,' Alin turned to leave, 'I'm just giving some advice. So, same time tomorrow then?' and with that, he disappeared through the door with an almost inhuman swiftness.

Jan sighed once more; something told him this mission would be his most tiresome yet.

…

**Yes, I know, I really should not be starting a new story, but this would not leave my brain. This was originally a robul fic but as I'm already writing one of those (and will probably write plenty more in the future) I thought I'd use this idea for a less popular Romania pairing, ie. Netherlands/Romania, which I also adore.**

**Now, I am perfectly aware of how overused and cliché vampire stories are, especially where Romania is concerned, and I'm sorry if this is already annoying people, but I really want to write it, and I promise to not make any characters two-dimensional, flat etc. though if I appear to be doing that then don't hesitate to point it out.**

**I should also mention this universe is entirely fictitious, not based on a real place and most certainly not historically accurate. It is not meant to cause any offense (which is why it's set in a made up world).**

**Side pairings are Bulkraine and Sufin.**

**Please leave feedback!**


	2. The hike

'So you're a slayer, huh?' Alin tried to make polite conversation as they trekked through the dense forest, following an uneven, snow-covered path. Jan was starting to struggle, constantly tripping on rocks and branches or slipping on puddles of ice, his thick, heavy coat and tunic weighing him down and his large boots causing him to lose his balance. Alin, on the other hand, appeared to be having no trouble at all, shuffling along with his stick in front of him, fur cloak trailing behind and almost wiping away his tracks.

The trees either side of the pair loomed over them, leafless branches like hands ready to snatch them away, made all the more sinister by the dusk, which elongated and deepened shadows, as well as spurred the imagination. It was a steep climb to the castle too and, if there had been time, one of them would have been able to climb a tree and catch sight of the village nestled snugly in the valley before the last rays of light disappeared behind the mountains.

'Have you always wanted to be one?' continued Alin. When he got no answer, he frowned through his scarf. 'We're gonna be stuck out here for a good few hours so we might as well exchange in some phatic communication. It might be a good distraction from the cold.'

Jan shot Alin a glare, though the latter didn't see it, 'I don't _do_ small talk.'

'No kidding,' another 'tsk' escaped Alin's lips and Jan's eye twitched in annoyance.

'Do you have a family?' Alin tried again, once more getting no reply, 'I had a family, far away and long ago. No one left now. All gone… What about a partner? I'm sure you're good-looking. Do you have a wife?'

'No.'

'Husband?'

'That's unnatural,' Jan wrinkled his nose.

'So's that hairdo,' Alin shot back.

'How do you know what my hair looks like?' demanded Jan.

'Overheard some of the locals talking about it,' explained Alin, 'apparently it's a source of amusement among the younger people; the older ones just think it means you're possessed,' Jan somewhat self-consciously brushed his fingers against his light-brown hair, 'oh, don't get them wrong,' continued Alin, 'they're not trying to be mean. It's just, well, strangers are rare here, what with it being an isolated place and all. They probably only tolerate you 'cause you're gonna get rid of the monsters and leave. They're probably hoping I die up here so I won't bother them. I get the feeling I've been bothering them since I got here.'

'I wonder why they think that,' Jan replied with the faintest hint of sarcasm. He hated that small pang of sympathy that crept into his chest at that last remark, though, and sighed, 'I'm the oldest of three,' he told Alin, who perked up slightly, 'my younger brother's away on an apprenticeship but my sister's back at home.'

'And where is 'home'?' questioned Alin.

'A small seaside village,' Jan shut his eyes briefly to picture it, and tripped on a rock, 'it's quiet and peaceful,' he continued, 'our houses are made out of stone and decorated with shells-' he paused, tightening his lips and wondering what had made him open up; he never talked of home.

'So do you visit your sister at all?' asked Alin. Jan turned away, determined not to say anything more, 'it's a simple question.'

'No,' he spat.

'Don't you like her?'

Nothing.

'Is she mad at you?'

Jan wouldn't give in.

'Is she ashamed of you?'

'Why would she be?' Jan cursed his weakness.

'I dunno,' Alin shrugged, 'just the whole going around killing people. Hardly something to be proud of, is it?'

'I kill monsters, not people.'

'Have I struck a nerve?' Alin tilted his head slightly. Jan hated the smug, slow tone of his voice, and decided to ignore the young man from now on. 'I'll take that as a yes,' Alin hummed quietly to himself.

'You know when we get nearer to the castle you'll have to be silent?' that time couldn't come too soon for Jan.

'I'm aware, all the more reason to talk now then, huh?' Alin thought for a moment, 'well, since you're not contributing to this conversation, I'll just talk by myself. Arrived here about a week or so. Everyone was prepared to make me leave, what with all these killing sprees that have been happening of late, they weren't too keen on letting me stay among them. But a few took kindness on me. I mean, look at me! I can't see, and I'm so scrawny. Could you actually see me being a killer?'

Jan turned his head away, pretending not to listen.

'Rude!' cried Alin, 'anyway, so everyone's civil now, but still don't trust me. I spend a lot of time in the forest, to get away from everyone. That's why they agreed to let me guide you around here, because I know more about this place than most of the locals, and I'm less 'valuable'.'

'Well, I appreciate your help,' Jan mentally shrugged; there was nothing wrong with being civil.

'Thanks, buddy!'

'Please don't start calling me that,' Jan started to hope the vampire would eat Alin before he could kill it.

'Hey, do you know a guy from your village named Berwald?' continued Alin, deciding on a topic change, 'now that I think of it, he was mentioned as living by the sea in a little coastal town. Tino, one of the villagers- great guy, told everyone to let me stay- trades animal fur and meat for fish and shells and stuff with him. He has two sons apparently, raises them on his own.'

'Peter and Lars,' Jan replied instinctively, then hissed when he realised Alin had gotten another answer out of him, 'last time I saw them, they were little babies,' well, he was already talking!

'Yeah! Those guys,' Alin nodded, 'apparently, from what Tino has told me, they're in some sort of romantic relationship. Tino and Berwald, not the two kids. It's sweet really, despite what you think, but kind of sad, since they can't be together at any point in the near future because Tino's entire career revolves around hunting and trading parts of the animals he hunts, so he can't up and move in with Berwald and the boys whilst Berwald's whole career revolves around fishing and the sea, plus it would be dangerous to attempt the journey here with two young children, what with the cold and mountains and wild animals. Plus, I don't think they're too keen on the idea of people of the same genders in relationships in this area. That's a thought, your village is pretty liberal, right? How come you're such a piece of scum?'

'I'm not a piece of scum,' growled Jan, 'I just had my eyes opened, that's all. I was taught right from wrong from an early age. It's my job to rid the world of evil, something I have an extensive knowledge in, so don't insult me again.'

'Well good luck with that,' Jan was sure he didn't mean it, not that he particularly cared.

'So you're just told things and you believe them?' asked Alin, 'that sounds stupid. Have you ever thought of thinking for yourself? You might be surprised at what you find rattling around in that massive head of yours. You know, like some kindness maybe.'

'There is no place for kindness in my profession,' Jan growled.

'Mine neither,' muttered Alin, almost out of earshot.

'And that means?'

'Nothing that concerns you,' the young man chirped.

Jan grunted in response and looked around. He wondered if his target was already awake and looking for prey. Maybe it was in the forest stalking them now, which meant he had to be especially vigilant, and silent. Alin opened his mouth to speak again but Jan shushed him harshly.

'Don't know why you're suddenly so jumpy,' Alin drawled, 'we're not in any danger, yet.'

'How can you be so sure?'

'I just know, trust me,' Alin waved a hand.

'You are the least trustworthy person I've met,' Jan replied, 'and that includes a demon con-artist with a gambling addiction.'

'_That _sounds like an interesting story,' Alin commented, 'got time to tell it?'

'No,'

'That's what I thought, shame really, and what about me is so _untrustworthy, _if you don't mind me asking? I've been nothing but honest with you!'

'You just look shifty,' Jan narrowed his eyes, taking in his companion, 'all covered up like you're hiding something.'

'In case you haven't noticed,' Alin shot back, 'we're on a mountain in the snow. I don't know about you but I'm not too keen on catching my death out here.'

'I'm not wearing nearly as much as you are and I'm perfectly fine,' Jan commented, rolling his eyes and ducking under a branch, the pathway slowly becoming more treacherous and uncharted the higher they climbed.

'Well you're a big bastard! You're all insulated and shit,' Alin spat, 'besides, I was born in one of the southern settlements, on the edge of a desert, to be precise , so I'm not as used to the cold as a fisherman like you.'

'I'm a slayer, not a fisherman; also, I don't like how you act,' continued Jan, 'it's too graceful, too sure-footed for someone of your condition.'

'What are you saying?' Alin slowed his pace, falling out of Jan's line of vision.

'That's it's suspicious,' Jan shrugged, 'I'm struggling to believe you're really blind. You sometimes say things that make me doubt you are, little things I pick up every now and again.'

'_Is that so_?' the tone of Alin's voice made the hairs on the back of Jan's neck stand up; it was different to his usual tenor, more malicious, more feral. Wheeling round, the first thing Jan noticed was Alin's scarf and blindfold, strewn across the snowy floor at his feet, abandoned. Eyes trailing up the other man's body, Jan realised in horror that Alin was glaring at him in hate with bright red eyes, the eyes of a monster, lips curled into a snarl and showing pointed, elongated fangs.

'I've been waiting for this moment, Jan Baeten,' he growled, licking his lips.

'You're a… you're one of_ them_?' he asked numbly, taking a step backwards and reaching into his coat.

Alin ignored him, instead throwing off his heavy cloak and lunging forward, aiming for Jan's throat.

…

**About bloody time I got a second chapter up! Feel free to point out any mistakes, and just generally leave a comment, please?**

**So, the side pairings (which I should probably mention so no one gets a nasty surprise) are sufin, with a few hints of Bulkraine and Norbela. I might add more though, but I promise to give a fair warning if I do.**


	3. Blood and snow

The first thing Jan felt was a dull, burning sensation in his chest. No, not in it, _on_ it, through his clothes and right up against his skin, stinging and blazing. It was dim and soft at first, barely reaching him through the darkness, but soon it became too agonizing to ignore.

Pulling himself up, Jan fumbled for whatever was causing him pain, hands searching his chest to find the source, and flinched as his fingers brushed against hot metal: his cross, a present from his little sister that he always wore. He opened his eyes to see what on earth was happening but his vision was red and swimming.

_Where was he? _

Blinking a couple of times, his vision started to clear, enough to see the hands in front of him, and his cross pendant as it burned through his clothes. Crying out in shock, he coordinated his hands as best he could to take hold of the chain around his neck, pull it over his head and throw it into the snow, where it sank into the icy blanket, hissing slightly as the snow around it melted. More confused than ever, Jan looked around, trying to fathom why his cross, laced with magic and poison lethal to numerous vampire and demon species, that had saved his life countless times in fights, had turned against him. Through his blurred vision, he could make out the faint shapes of trees and snow around him. Hands shaking, he scooped up some of the snow weakly, smothering his chest with it in an attempt to soothe it. Finding it only made his pain worse, Jan gave up, and looked around him.

He was lying in a forest, but he didn't know how he got there. It was too hard to remember, so he gave up and regarded his surroundings the best he could. Everything was still red, and the edges of his vision fuzzy. Looking up caused pain to shoot through his eyes, and he was blinded by searing light that spilled through the treetops, so he focused on the ground, and the roots of the tree he appeared to be propped up against.

'Oh, you're still alive,' Jan looked up, searching for the origin of the comment, and eventually his eyes focused on a mess of brown hair, furs and blood. His eyes widened when he realised it was Alin, staring at him with contempt, clutching his stomach as dark blood dribbled through his fingers.

Then it all came back.

He remembered Alin jumping at him, fangs bared, screaming and snarling, and ripping chunks from his neck, clawing at his arms and chest, whilst he blindly lashed out with a knife. There was shouting, blood, pain, torment, then everything went black as he hit the ground.

He opened his mouth to hurl abuse at the vampire, but nothing would come out, he tried to move away, blindly reaching for his knife, but couldn't find it.

'I threw it away,' Alin growled at him, 'so you wouldn't get any funny ideas, and there's no point in talking, not with your throat looking like that anyway.'

Jan reached a hand towards his neck, and flinched as pain shot through his body from the touch. Pulling his hand away, he found his glove was stained and sticky.

So many questions raced through Jan's mind, but when he turned back to Alin, his vision swam and he slipped out of consciousness once more.

…

The next time he awoke, everything was slightly clearer. It was darker now, and the light didn't hurt his eyes anymore. Looking around blearily, he saw he was in the same forest as before, opposite the same vampire that attacked him.

'You!' he gasped, hating how weak and raspy his voice sounded, but at least it was working now. Blindly reaching out for something to pull himself up with, Jan refused to tear his glower away from Alin, lest the creature try to attack him again. However, he didn't look capable of even standing up in the state he was in, let alone killing someone. If only he could find his knife to finish the bastard off…

'Hey calm the heck down,' Alin rolled his eyes, 'I'm not gonna hurt you. I'm not allowed to kill my own kind.' He was still sprawled on his back, clutching his now almost healed stomach, leaning against a rock and scowling at Jan, eyes full of hatred and bloodlust. _Huh_, Jan regarded conceitedly, _typical of a barbaric monster_.

'We are not the same, _helldemon_,' he spat, voice still sounding frailer than he wanted it to. Then again, he was surprised he could speak, considering the state his neck was in.

Pressing his fingers gently against his throat, he was surprised to find it caused him no pain, and even more bewildered when his hand came away clean. _Was it even possible to heal that fast?_

'Unfortunately we are,' Alin sneered, 'Sorry, I was aiming to kill you- honest- and would've done so if you hadn't have stabbed me.'

'What do you mean?' Jan stared at him apprehensively.

'If a vampire bite,' explained Alin, sitting up and hissing at the pain, 'does not kill you, it turns you. And that is a pretty nasty bite mark on your neck…'

'So, you're saying…' Jan shook his head; _it could not be true!_

'I thought you slayers were a smart bunch,' Alin wrinkled his nose, 'you're one of us now, sweetheart.'

**No.**

It wasn't possible! How could he be a… a… no, it was a trick!

'You're lying,' he hissed.

'Nope,' Alin grinned, 'always been a terrible liar. Face it, you're a vampire.'

'I won't allow it,' Jan felt his neck, and even under his touch he could feel the flesh slowly knitting back together. He looked around. Though it was night now, he could see clearly, and the different smells of the forest were more apparent. He could smell the earth, the breeze, the plants, everything around him. Heightened senses, fast healing and reactions to crosses, Jan knew he'd been turned.

But why did fate hate him enough to do so?

'Why didn't you kill me when you had the chance?' he spat, once more focusing on Alin.

'I was going to have a second crack at your neck, but my wounds got the better of me. Why did you stab me when I was trying to kill you?' Alin shot back.

'To end you!' Jan's voice was becoming stronger now, 'look, just do me a favour and put me out of my misery.'

'You'd rather die than become a vampire?' Alin's eyebrows shot up, 'can't do that, I'm afraid. For one thing, I'm slightly under the weather myself,' he pointed at his torso, 'and two, vampires can't kill other vampires. It's how things are.'

'Seriously?' Jan exclaimed, 'that's where you lot draw the line? It's okay to murder innocent humans for other members of your kind are a big no?'

'I believe it's the same for humans,' Alin reminded him, 'you can kill us but not each other.'

'You deserve it!'

'Says who?'

'Everyone!' Jan exclaimed, 'you're a plague! You should all just die!'

'And you are now a part of this 'plague',' Alin grinned gleefully.

'I don't want to be evil,' Jan sighed, slouching his shoulders.

'Good thing I'm not evil,' Alin told him, 'none of us are.'

'Yes you are!' Jan spat, 'you're disgusting murderers who prey on the good and innocent.'

'Yeah yeah,' Alin waved a hand, 'enough of this recited crap. I get it, you humans don't like it when others are above you in the food chain. We all have to eat something,' he chuckled, 'you taste good, by the way. Shame I never got to finish…'

'You're not very good at draining people, are you?' Jan wondered if he could provoke the vampire into fatally attacking him.

'Hey! I only transformed someone once before!' Alin snarled, 'besides, I was pretty good at killing those other people.'

Jan's eyes narrowed, 'don't tell me, _you're_ Radacanu?'

'That is my surname,' Alin nodded, 'must feel pretty bad to be you. Imagine that, being in my company all this time and not knowing,' he flashed him another grin, revealing sharp white teeth stained with blood, Jan's blood.

'You disgust me,' Jan spat.

'Likewise,' Alin shrugged, 'I did what I had to; you were planning to kill my family.'

'Actually, it was just you I'm after. The others would have lived, provided they'd stayed out of my way.'

'People would've gotten hurt regardless. My brethren would not stand by while you slay me,' Alin glared at him in disgust, 'there was no way I'd let you hurt the ones I care about most.'

'Please,' Jan snorted, 'as if you have a heart! What do you know about love and compassion and caring about others?'

'Enough to risk killing the one I loved so he could be with me forever,' Alin sighed, 'only to find out he did not- could not- return my feelings. Still,' he shrugged, 'we're good friends, he has a partner and I no longer yearn for him in that way.'

'What nonsense! The more I hear about you the more disgusted I become!'

'Again, likewise,' Alin shook his head, 'look, we're not evil! My family and I are just… different. Who are you to define what is good and evil anyway?'

Jan opened his mouth, but found he had no answer.

'Look,' Alin raised his hands, 'we're an okay bunch, if you give us a chance, so why not try being part of the undead? Who knows, you might even like it.'

'I doubt that!'

'How about we talk to Arthur?' Alin suggested, 'he's better with words than me and is the oldest of us; maybe he can give you some advice on your situation.'

'Never,' Jan folded his arms, 'I refuse to concur with such filth.'

'How rude,' Alin sniffed, 'Arthur is a very respectable man. Besides, do you have any other options?'

Jan refused to answer.

'Look,' Alin hauled himself up, grunting in pain and rubbing his back before extending his hand towards Jan, 'we might as well put our differences aside, for now. What do you say?' the look on his face conveyed utter reluctance and strain at the thought, and Jan knew it must've taken most of his resolve to say that, but he didn't care.

'Just leave me to die,' he muttered, swatting the other's hand away.

'Our kind don't just simply 'get left alone to die',' Alin stared at his nails, then wiped his hand on his coat, as if he'd been contaminated by Jan's touch, 'it takes a lot to kill us, but you probably already know all about that…' he glared down at Jan, 'now, what do you say to a fresh new start?'

'Fine,' Jan mumbled, taking Alin's hand and allowing the other to pull him up.

It made sense, though Jan hated to admit it, to find out more about what this condition meant for him. Besides, this also meant that he could get into the vampires' lair without any difficulties, and get close to them, maybe even earning their trust.

Jan could feel a plan slowly coming into place as he began walking.

…

**I'M BACK PEOPLE! So yeah, I can start updating things again and decided to do this first, as there aren't as many chapters up as my other stuff. Besides, I want to get into this, as I'm already coming up with a sequel idea to this, if anyone's interested.**

**So yeah, please leave a comment, so I know what's good and what isn't.**


	4. Uneasy alliance

_Tsvet/Tsvetan- Bulgaria_

_Aleks/Aleksander- Norway_

_Katya/Yekaterina- Ukraine_

_Tasha/Natalya- Belarus_

…

'No, but seriously,' continued Alin, 'you will love the family!' The pair were trudging through the forest once more, and Alin would not shut up. Jan, despite his heightened senses and newfound strength (so being a monster had its merits), was still struggling through the thick snow and foliage. His new power and vigour was causing him to lose balance frequently, still unused to his new strength and the last thing he needed was a stream of nonsense from the one 'person' he detested most.

'Tsvet is the best! Seriously, he's my greatest friend in the world and you'll love him,' he waved a finger in front of Jan's nose, 'and that's an order!' the taller man just rolled his eyes.

'I'll never love a vampire,' he stated.

'Well, Tsvet's a real easy person to talk to,' Alin rolled his eyes, 'if, you know, you forget he's a bit different to you. Actually, you'd be the same now, and don't forget it!'

Jan sighed, deciding to not grace that with a reply.

'Aleks is also a grand guy,' continued Alin, not particularly caring if the other was even listening or not, 'real funny, real down to earth, though his humour is a little twisted. But he's not a nasty person! Then there are the girls, Tasha and Katya, sisters or something; they're a nice bunch. Tasha's lovely once she warms up to you- if she warms up to you-, and also has a wicked sense of humour. That's probably why she and Aleks get along so well, if you catch my drift… Katya's just this big ball of affection and friendliness! It's like she wants to be everyone's big sister and smother us all with love. She's Tsvetan's partner. I think Aleks and the two girls come from this village, actually, so they're new, like you! Wonderful people! There's Arthur too! He's a few hundred years old and the one who started this family, by biting me. He's pretty much a dad to all of us and he knows everything! Except, apparently, how to hold his liquor.'

'I wasn't aware your kind drank anything apart from blood.'

'How'd I just know you'd say that?' Alin flashed him a grin, 'nope, we're capable of eating and drinking like humans, just like how we're capable of loving and suffering like a human.'

'Pah,' Jan snorted.

'What will it take for you to see that we're not different?' Alin's smile fell and he stared at Jan with an earnest expression. He got no reply.

'Do you know how vampires came to be, Baeten?' he tried again.

'Can't say that I cared to find out. Was it a curse? Plague? Virus?'

'None of those! Honestly, the nerve of some people…' Alin shook his head, rolling his eyes, 'we started as guardians, you know? To protect our villages from danger and suffering.'

'Don't believe it.'

'It's the truth! Anyway, for years we existed peacefully together. People would donate blood to us in exchange for security and shelter, and we'd all live together like normal, humans and vampires would fall in love and no one would bat an eyelid. Pretty sweet deal, huh? But, of course, it wasn't to last.'

'What happened?' Jan felt himself drawn into the story.

'One of us was killed by a group of humans one evening. No one knows what the motivation was, and it would normally be treated like any other criminal offense, but the family of the vampire murdered the families of the killers and, well, it kinda escalated into this hatred we have today.'

'I see,' Jan sighed; he hated to admit it, but he believed Alin. It sounded similar to what he'd heard from other humans, particularly other slayers, but a bit more biased, he had to confess. Not that he'd ever given much thought into the origins of those species he was paid to kill…

'Still, everything seems to have calmed down lately,' the little vampire shrugged, 'like we're reached some sort of equilibrium. We kill a few of you; you kill a few of us. Not the peace of the old days by a long shot, but at least it's not a full-blown war either.'

'We have turned into natural enemies, it appears,' Jan sighed, then a thought struck him, 'hey, in your last statement, you seemed to be implying that you see me as human.'

'I did indeed,' Alin nodded, 'and will continue to do so until you are happy with your new form. It might help you warm up to us.'

'Don't do that,' Jan growled, 'act sweet and kind, I mean. It's too disturbing.'

'Is a '_monster_' being nice stirring internal conflicts?' Alin smirked, 'fine, I won't be civil, you big ugly bastard.'

'That the best you got, scrawny, bug-eyed twit?'

'Tulip-hair!'

'Midget!'

'Giant!'

'Son of a leech!'

'Good for nothing oaf!'

Jan suddenly burst out laughing and Alin looked at him curiously.

'Something amusing?' he inquired.

'Not at all,' Jan covered his mouth with a hand, still chuckling, 'it's just, in all my life I never thought I'd be exchanging casual, and almost affectionate even, insults with a vampire.' His smile fell suddenly; _this was not according to the plan._ He had to distance himself from his travelling companion, and quickly.

'Affectionate, huh?' Alin grinned, 'if this is you being affectionate then I'd hate to- oh wait, never mind,' his hands wrapped around his torso, 'I'm well aware of how you are when you're brutal and spiteful.'

'Well maybe if you weren't so pathetic, then you wouldn't have got stabbed,' Jan reasoned.

'I made a mess out of your neck, didn't I?

'Yes, I'll give you that,' Jan shrugged, 'so how come you only attack humans? Too weak to fight your own species?'

'I'm not allowed to kill other vampires,' Alin replied evenly, 'I have told you that repeatedly. You're not very good at listening, human; maybe that's why you're in this situation.'

Jan gritted his teeth in annoyance, before replying, just as evenly, 'I don't believe it. Sounds like a cover story to hide how dismal a killer you are.'

Something collided with his torso and Jan was knocked backwards, landing on hard ground, a small cluster of rocks and twigs digging into his back. Winded, he looked up to find Alin grinning down at him, gloved hands squeezing his upper arms, nails digging into his skin, leaving bruises.

'Don't aggravate someone with superior strength,' he warned, before pecking him lightly in the nose, 'got it?'

'Get off you freak!' Jan pushed the other man off him, a surprising easily feat, and Alin went flying, smacking into a tree trunk. A dull thud sounded and he slid slowly to the floor.

'Not bad,' he wheezed, getting up slowly, dazed, 'you might want to learn how to control yourself though.'

'You_ kissed _me,' Jan wiped at his face, glowering at him; 'don't talk to me about control!'

'It was a little one on the nose,' Alin rolled his eyes and walked over, extending a hand, 'how about we say nothing more? I won't do it again.'

'Fine,' Jan muttered through gritted teeth, swiping Alin's hand away and hauling himself up.

'Now come on,' Alin sang, starting to continue his journey through the snow, 'let's try to get there before dawn.'

'Course,' they walked in silence and Jan lost track of time, focusing only on not slipping and trying to maintain his balance. Eventually, they came to a small, trickling stream, surprisingly not frozen over. Whilst Alin gracefully hopped across, skipping over small rocks poking through the water, Jan hesitated, glancing down and caught a glimpse of his reflection. Caught a glimpse of new, red eyes.

There was no denying it; he was no longer human.

'Come on! It's only a little water,' Alin called from the other side, pausing and tilting his head slightly before giving a small giggle, 'you don't honestly believe all that crap about vampires not crossing running water?'

'What? Not at all,' Jan sighed, beginning the crossing, slowly, carefully, 'I just… I didn't truly believe what had happened to be until I saw my reflection.'

'Ah yes,' Alin grimaced, 'no more teal eyes for you. Still, you'll get used to it.' Jan hopped onto the bank next to him and the pair continued their journey.

'So,' Jan spoke up, 'what was _your_ original eye colour?'

'Light brown,' Alin replied, 'colour of those in the Southern Kingdoms.'

'You're from the South? It must have been hard, being suddenly intolerant to sunlight…'

'It was harder never seeing my family again, but yes, you have a point,' Jan looked away, thinking of his own family. Would Anri and Luca ever learn the fate of their brother? He wondered what they would think of him becoming a monster.

'Your eyes were blue _and_ green, huh? Part Western, part Central, right?'

'That's right. My mother's family are from the seaside town I grew up in, but my father was a farmer from the Central plains. My siblings and I all have this colour mix. It's unusual, yes, but no one really cared.'

'It's funny though,' Alin commented, 'how you can tell where a person is from by their eye colour. Brown is the Southern deserts, olive green is the Southern coast, light blue's the Western coast, dark blue's the people who live next to the river, green's the Central farmers, and Lilac is the Northern mountains.'

'Oh, so that's their natural eye colour?' asked Jan, 'for a while I was worried I was dealing in something magical and sinister.'

'Understandable. The locals are pretty eerie here at the best of times. Oh, I almost forgot, demons have pink eyes right?'

'Correct.'

'Where do demons even come from?' Alin frowned, 'seriously, are they human, vampire, both, their own species?'

'Anyone can become a demon,' Jan explained, 'you just need the right spells, but it's tricky, and the process requires doing terrible things. After that, well, you're gone. You're stripped of humanity and become a mindless monster.'

'Nasty,' Alin wrinkled his nose, 'who would even do that?'

'Someone seriously twisted? Most demons didn't turn by choice. People use them for their own purposes, since they're easy to control, again, with the right magic,' Jan shuddered, 'it's not something I enjoy thinking about.'

'Don't blame you,' Alin looked a little ill himself, 'still, hurry up now; we're almost there.'

…

He was right.

Just twenty minutes later, Jan found himself staring up at a large, crumbling castle. Ivy partially covered the dark stone, snaking to the sky and digging its long, green fingers into every crack and crevice, deepening and widening them. The glass in the tiny windows was smashed in, most covered in dark material to keep out the light. The building itself was huge and square, with four towers in each corner; loose stones were scattered at the foot of the outer walls and there seemed to be no visible means of entry.

'How do we get in?' he asked Alin, whose grin took on a slightly manic quality.

'Easy, see that window there?' he pointed to a particularly shabby looking gap in the wall, widened by someone who'd kicked out the stones either side.

'How is anyone supposed to get up there?' Jan's eyebrows shot up.

'No problem,' scoffed Alin, 'now do as I do,' he bounded over to a nearby tree, scaled it with inhuman ease until he climbed onto a particularly wide branch. He tiptoed gracefully along the branch, as if the heavy boots he wore were thin ballet shoes, toes pointed, arms outstretched either side of him, before breaking into a run. When he ran out of tree, Alin leaped up, slicing through the air and reaching out to grab the window ledge. Clinging on by his fingers, Alin scrambled up, disappearing from view.

'Simple, right?' he called, sticking his head out.

'Err, sure,' Jan looked in dismay at the tree, steeling himself to take a run up.

Determined to not let the vampire outdo him, Jan broke into a sprint, lunging at the tree and clawing at the branches, using his legs to push himself up. Reaching out for the branch Alin had used, Jan pulled himself into a standing position, legs shaking.

'It's not that bad,' scoffed Alin, 'now just run towards me and jump.' He even held out a hand is if he planned to catch him. Jan nodded, glancing down. He was higher than he'd realised, and felt dizzy all of a sudden, vision swimming and blurring. Slightly queasy, he put one foot forward, slowly, then the other. Picking up the pace, he broke into a full run just before the branch stopped, leaping up wildly and reaching out for the ledge.

He missed.

Smacking into the wall below, he tumbled downwards in a mess of dried blood, furs and loose stones, hitting the ground with a dull thud. He lay there, winded, accompanied by Alin's frenzied laughter.

'You pleb! You moron!' Alin was on his knees, wiping tears from his eyes and clutching his sides, 'it's a good thing you're not human anymore or you'd be dealing with broken bones!'

'It's not funny,' Jan called up, struggling to his feet and leaning heavily on the wall.

'Oh but it truly is!' Alin looked like he would explode from laughter, 'you should have seen your face! You looked shocked and constipated at the same time and were just floating there before SMACK! Best thing ever!'

'When I get up there…' Jan growled, storming over to the tree and skinning up it with a new energy. This time, his anger outweighed his fear as he poised himself, ready to run towards the window a second time. Dashing across the branch, he used both legs to propel himself into the air, aiming this time.

And succeeded.

'Sometimes you gotta get mad to accomplish something,' Alin shrugged from the other side of the room, where he'd retreated. Jan narrowed his eyes, glaring at the other man as he climbed into the room, landing in a heap on the floor.

He found himself in a nearly empty room, stone floor bare and covered in dust in the corners.

'It could've gone a whole lot worse,' Alin tried again.

'How?'

'Other people could've seen?' Alin shook his head, 'anyway, back to the matter of hand. We need new clothes. Can't go walking around looking like this, now can we?'

'What do you suggest?'

'I'll go find some spare outfits; this castle has heaps of old stuff hidden away so there's probably something that fits you. Now stay here and don't break anything. Oh, and if anyone finds you, just say you're Alin's friend, though no one usually comes to this particular part of the castle since I'm the only one who ever leaves.'

'Thank you but, may I keep the scarf though?' Jan asked, removing the woollen item from where it was wrapped around his neck and shoulders and looking in dismay at the red stains covering it.

'It's kind of manky though,' Alin frowned, wrinkling his nose slightly.

'I thought you liked blood.'

'Yeah but that stuff's old and stale! Look, it's brown, almost black even, like the rest of your outfit.'

Jan ignored him, running a hand over the dried blood and channelling his energy. A few flakes broke away, but the stains were mostly unaffected. Would he be able to get them out manually?

'Ah, a sorcerer, huh?' Alin grinned in amusement, 'our kind can't do magic. At all. I guess this means you're not fully turned though if you're able to do a bit of magic. And before you ask, just because you're not fully turned doesn't mean there's a cure; it means you have a few days left of doing feeble enchantment. When you're incapable of doing any spells, you're a fully formed vampire. On the plus side, you'll be even stronger and faster than you are now.'

'I see,' Jan wasn't an accomplished sorcerer. He preferred solid weapons when it came to his profession, and kept enchantment for other necessities. The thought that something so small, but so important, being gone from his life troubled him.

'Give it here,' Alin rolled his eyes and extended a hand, palm up, 'I'll get it washed for you.'

'Thanks,' Jan mumbled, handing over the scarf.

'So what's so precious about it anyway?'

'Made it myself,' Jan looked away, 'little brother helped.'

'How nice,' Alin folded the scarf, 'so would you consider knitting it your greatest achievement?'

'Not at all, my greatest achievement is getting out of a room filled with twenty vampires not only alive but having slain the whole lot.'

'I'm sure your brother would love to know that.' Alin's smile fell, he turned abruptly and left the room, 'oh,' he added, poking his head back in, 'I'm going to find Arthur as well as a change of clothes for us both; please try to stay out of trouble while I'm gone.' Then he disappeared.

Jan waited for a few minutes, until the sound of Alin's footsteps disappeared completely, then he slowly got up, tiptoeing over to the door and peering into the corridor. It was deserted. With a nod, he set off in the opposite direction to Alin, ready to put his plan into action.

…

**Eyyyyy more crappy suspense! So, thank you to everyone who has taken an interest in this story so far and I am grateful for your support!**


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